A Superior Wedding: Superior 100, 2019
Buckle up friends, this post is going to be a long one. Mostly because there needs to be a lot of history and context leading up to this special weekend.
September 2015. My dear friend Kari runs her first 100 mile race which she chose to be Superior 100. Working with her at the time, I saw her dedication and commitment not only to training but everything in her life. She gave everything her all in this new endeavor of her life. It was so inspiring that it got me to sign up for my first marathon. It was a "what next?" weekend after weekend, learning new things about nutrition, running, and myself. Thankfully, it was a shared journey where none of my learning experiences were uncommon, but completely normal and validated by her. September was drawing near and she was pulling together her crew and pacers. It worked out perfectly that she needed a pacer and I needed one last long run in on my training before TCM. I planned to pace her, and made the most out of my weekend by signing up to volunteer and journey up north for the first time solo. I was nervous and full of excitement to do something new. Tucked into the back of my mind was knowing I was potentially going to meet someone new that Kari had mentioned to me before Superior. She knew I had got out of a toxic relationship (funny how running helped me with and through it) and showed me pictures of Long and the videos he was making at the time. I thought that he was cute and the videos he made with his GoPro looked intense and fun! I got a lot of time to think driving up in my '96 lumina that sadly consumed a lot of my thoughts driving to and from up north (like if it could make the journey without dying on me). I safely made it up north and made a journey of it too, stopping at nostalgic stops that I would go to on family trips.
Since this was my first time volunteering at a Rocksteady race, but had some sense of what a RSR was like (I did the Afton 25k that year as a training run that year). I had a better sense of the community and loved that they housed the volunteers! I checked in to my assigned house and planned to sleep then head out in the p.m. to go to Cramer Road to work at the aid station for the overnight shift. Due to the nerves and excitement of the weekend, I didn't even get in a nap! I laid on the couch excited and nervous I would be late to my shift! I decided to head out earlier because I'd rather be early than late (always have been wired that way, anxious by nature!) I learned how to percolate coffee and make aid station soup, prepare food, etc. by the aid station captain. I got to have conversations with the people working there, and got to know some awesome people. I remember witnessing the front runners of the 100 cruise in, and one vivid memory of a runner curling up on the dirt next to the fire to take a very literal dirt nap for fifteen minutes. We even offered him blankets for a makeshift pillow and he was sound asleep. As soon as those fifteen minutes were up, he woke up a new person and headed back out on the trails as fast as he cruised into the aid station! I also vividly remember his anxious crew missing him by minutes, worried about him and wondering where he was. There are a lot of emotions not only from the runners, but from the crew and community that surrounds events like this.
There were a lot of emotions that happened that night, lots of cheers, questions from worried crew members asking if we had seen certain runners and questions about what hot food we had. I had never been surrounded by such a community like this before and while I didn't completely understand it, I felt the support and appreciation for everything. It was truly a magical event. The swirl of excitement started to die a little bit as the early hours of the morning approached. I remember one of the volunteers pointing up at the stars as we sit and stood around the fire and to mention the northern lights. They swirled above us and had never seen them in person so vividly before. After looking up for some time, I sat by the fire trying to stay awake. Simultaneously, a figure that had not been there before came into view. I stared at them for a minute or what seemed like minutes before my brain caught up with my eyes. It was a guy Kari had showed me who made the GoPro videos. While my brain and eyes were catching up with each other, he made his way towards me. I got up and we introduced ourselves. He had a camera in his hand and was taking pictures of the race. We made small awkward conversation in between me making coffee and soup for the runners. He took pictures of the events at the aid station, and while it was getting lighter out, he knew I had to get ready to pace. We parted ways after my shift was over and I made my way to temperance to get a good nap in before I had to pace. I pulled my car into the temperance river parking lot and instantly fell asleep. 20 minutes later I heard a tap on my window. It was Kari's mom Rhende telling me she was going to be at the aid station soon. Rhende was so helpful to help me get ready and made it an effortless transition from me sleeping with little time to get ready to me being fully ready to pace! I was so excited, tired, and nervous for my first pacing duty! Kari came in with Ken and he ended his pacing duties there as he had ran the while night section with her. I was ready to do my part and run with her to the finish! Having never run the SHT before, I was in for a little bit of surprise! I remember hiking up a bit, stopping to catch my breath and to cheer Kari on, giving her all the encouragement she needed because she was going to do this race and finish before sunset! She did all those things so well and with a smile on her face! What made the finish so special and so emotional was I had watched her first hand put in all the training and time while working. I had watched her during her peak week and how tired she must have felt that following week put in so much of her self into this goal. I was so proud of her (and still am!) Long showed up again and took pictures at the finish line. Afterwards I camped with her family at Temperance and slept in the tent with their adorable dog Amica, and had breakfast with them the following morning. I sadly had to part after breakfast to make it home in time for work the next day. Thankfully my car made it home (and at some points it didn't feel like it was going to) and I felt inspired and ready to complete my first marathon.
Fast forward a few weeks, Long and I had been talking since the race on and off, he took me out on dates, showed me local trails, and spectated my first marathon via bike. He also met my parents for the first time just weeks after us first meeting (since they were also at the marathon spectating) and we all went out for dinner after TCM.
Because of Superior and the excitement around that weekend, I knew that the marathon wasn't my stopping point. With two weeks out, I signed up for my first 50k and used the marathon as a training run. I also did a 1/2 marathon in between because Long was running Chicago marathon and I felt the need to make sure I was "still in shape" which I highly recommend NOT doing (overtrained is the key word here). I ran Surf the Murph and had never experienced that much pain but so much enjoyment before. Long paced me during that race as well, with a jovial finish and pizza afterwards to celebrate!
The ultra bug bit me! I was hooked, and since Long and I had been dating since before the marathon, he was a huge encouragement and motivator to keep pushing my running limits! We decided to both train for Zumbro 50 for the next year, and it was my first time running in the winter! I love how he makes everything an adventure. We spent a lot of time up north running and enjoying winter adventures. We had a lot of amazing training adventures together, and was so helpful and encouraging in all aspects of training and racing.
That same year was his big debut: Superior 100. 2016. He knew he wanted that to be his first 100 mile, and he knew he needed to give it the respect and training that course deserves! We spent a lot of time running the SHT together. It would be my first time crewing and pacing him, and we both learned a lot that race. One of the biggest takeaways is that we work well together when communication is there and when we are focused on the present.
The next few years were full of adventures, learning, concerts, DNFing, learning the tough lessons, me meeting his mom, Hoa, for the first time as she visited, and learning more about each other and growing creatively as well with Fresh Tracks Media being our creative child we have, which also brought us more growth and opportunities!
We got our first dog, Bean, back in May of 2018. She is everything we could have hoped for and fits in so well with our little family. Even in the time she had her accident we were still strong and supported by our community that helped us through that very difficult time. This was a time that I was also going through returning back to running, and we both got to recover together.
December 2, 2018, Long proposed at the Bean and Bear lake overlook. An iconic spot along the Superior Hiking Trail and holds a lot of meaning to Long and I as this was our first trail run together. We celebrated and kept the announcement on the DL as my 100 mile race was the following weekend, and needed to focus on that (as hard as it was now thinking about the engagement and wedding planning!) While my 100 didn't go as planned, I knew that there were bigger fish to fry in regards to wedding planning.
I have grown up going to a lot of weddings. My mom comes from a family of six sisters including herself, and with her being the second youngest of the bunch, we have gone to a lot of cousin's weddings. The weddings were big and traditional, so that is what I was accustomed to. Long and I wanted to so something a little different, but had the idea that we would do a small ceremony and invite more people to a reception/party of sorts. We spent the winter hunting for venues, food, drinks, parking, etc. It all seemed to be stressful, which we assumed was part of the normal wedding planning process. Nothing was working, I was getting frustrated and feeling anxious. We finally talked about what we were doing and if it was going to make us happy. We sought advice from others, telling us that at the end of the day it was for us and it should make us happy, all of our choices for the event.
We had joked on and off about running Superior together or getting married at the place where our relationship was landmarked, but it wasn't a serious conversation until we both brought it up again. Everything about this decision felt right, it felt like us. Shortly after making the decision, we both emailed the race director asking if it was okay for safety purposes or if it would post any conflict of interest. We got the OK and also agreed to register as a team, since it was still a lottery process, that we would either both get in or not. We would still make a plan either way to get married at Cramer Road, racing or not. We both got in to the race and started to train and make plans for the wedding. We booked our place to stay, our pacers and crew, and let the summer hone in our training and communication.
Summer flew by so fast, but it gave us a lot of amazing opportunities to train, to learn about each other, and about ourselves. As September drew near, we were both ready, excited, and anxious. Doubled the dose of our normal pre-race nervousness because not only were we embarking on this race together, we were getting married! Maybe I am speaking for myself at this point... he's always so calm!
We took off to our Lutsen Getaway Wednesday evening after work. The place we were staying gave us all of Wednesday (an extra night) as our wedding present from them. The place was absolutely gorgeous. Long had wanted to stay there for quite some time. It had large picture windows, a private beach, and lots of land to host weddings and receptions.
Friday morning, at 4:00 a.m. was our wake up call to get ready for the race. We left the house around 6:00 as it took about an hour to get to the race start. Jess drove us and Kenai accompanied us. It was a beautiful drive with the sunrise and the cool morning.
We arrived at Gooseberry and it was time to hit the bathroom followed by greeting the trail family. Everything about Superior feels like family, the hugs, greeting each other by name, everything felt the way it should. We got our picture taken a lot that morning and got another surprise as my parents showed up!
Soon we lined up for the race, surrounded by friends and family. 5-4-3-2-1- GO! We were off! I felt confident and ready as Long was a veteran of this course and I liked that he had a plan on how to handle this race. Easy on the first paved section, run the flats, downhills, and hike the uphills. Everything felt great, except my hip. I had been doing PT work for about a month on some problems I've been experiencing and the hip was the latest edition to my aches and pains I had been experiencing in this training cycle. One of the best things about ultra racing is that you may experience a new or old pain, but during the many miles it can sort itself out, and that's exactly what it did!
In and out of Aid Stations was Long's name of the game, no stalling, chatting, wasting time! Which, admittedly, I am a champion at. Split Rock Aid Station was a run down, grab-n-go, run back up flash!
"Are you the guy getting married this weekend?!" one guy said behind us.
"Yeah" Long responded.
"So is she running the marathon or something?" he questioned Long again.
"I'm right here" I said to the guy as I looked back and waved, frustrated a bit as I was thinking about what the guy might have thought about women probably not being able to run 100 miles, or being able to keep up. It also frustrated me because the guy wouldn't have thought that me, the woman wearing the exact same race vest as Long, let alone shoes, practically matching, couldn't have been his fiancee. I let it go as I don't like to hold on to many negative, frustrating thoughts.
The miles flew by with Long, which I liked. He hit some low points, but for him, getting to a low point means he wants to grind it out, AKA run faster. I had a tough time keeping up with his low points, but we were able to get through them together. My low points were very different. I have a tougher time picking up my pace, eating and drinking, and admitting that I am at a low point (I get really stubborn and quiet... more quiet than my usual introverted self). Long, being the sweet guy he is, tried everything in his power to pull me out. At this time, the trail angels knew something was up, because we were running behind the world renowned Susan Donnelley. We exchanged light conversation, well, Long and Susan did, I was still quiet and stubborn. In the midst of our conversation, Long said something that would change my whole mindset for the remainder of the race.
"Susan, what advice would you give someone who is in a low point?" He said.
"Who is experiencing a low point? You?" She asked him.
"No, it's for my fiance." He said.
Talk about getting snapped out of whatever thing I was feeling! He put me on the spot with someone I have been intimidated and inspired by ever since I heard about Susan. I was so nervous about what she would think about me, how she could pick me apart and hopefully, pull me out of whatever funk I was in. She agreed to help me out because it was our wedding. She pulled out her phone and started giving us advice, telling us about herself, and letting us know that most people experience low points at mile 30 and 60 during 100 mile races. Here we were around mile 30 getting advice from Susan. She gave us such great advice that it left me feeling inspired, new, and even though Long wasn't in a low point, he felt the same. We ran strong and new with our new mentality as we thanked Susan and ran into Tettegouche aid station. Susan, if you ever read this, thank you for pulling us, especially me, out of that low point. You are an immense inspiration to not only myself but for this whole community. You make a difference, which I know from talking to you, is one of your passions in life.
Running with a new found mentality made running into the evening that much better. I kept telling Long how much I love running in the evening and at night. It would be cooler, and we would be running with our friends, having laughs and conversations. I love when our pacers tell stories to pass the time and to make the miles fly by.
Soon we were at County Road 6, we gathered some layers, food, and light sources to head into Finland where our pacers were waiting. I was so excited to run with Jess, who recently moved back home after living for years away from her husband and puppy children. We arrived at Finland, and I was struggling with my nausea and feeling 100%. I knew that I had to keep eating until I couldn't, and even at that point, I knew I would still have to eat. Before we got a photo of our pacers and us together, Long told me to eat one of my smoothie pouches to get some calories in me. I opened the cap and with one gulp it was ready to come back up. I held it down and a picture was taken. I probably looked green in that one!
We headed into the night, still feeling fresh and able to run, but knew it would start to be slow going. Jess, sadly had to end her pacing duties early because of her foot/ankle, which we had planned for in advance. Marey, my other pacer, was ready to go. We picked her up and Jess was able to rest and take care of her injury. Off into the night we went. I was starting to fall asleep while running, which was the first time I had started to experience something like that. I remember telling Long and the pacers what I was experiencing and I needed coffee ASAP at the next aid station. I think it was at Crosby that Brain was there volunteering and he made a Facebook post about the kind of food he would have there, some sort of rice savory option, and that the password to get one was 'twitching'. I remember sipping some coffee and seeing him, and instantly started saying "twitching!!" Thanks Brain for the delicious food, it save me in that section, especially after I threw up on a bridge at night which, surprisingly afterward, I felt like a new person with more energy!
The sun started to rise on Saturday, it hit me that soon we were going to be married! Sugarloaf, then marriage! We had Marey and Jay with us as pacers, who got a long so well and made us laugh all the way until Cramer Road. Marey even made me a bouquet of flowers and beautiful fall leaves along the way and tied to together with her blue bracelet for something blue and something used.
We were feet away from Cramer. We ran in together and the noise escalated as we drew near. Cow bells rang loud followed be the cheers of family and friends, and those who knew what was happening at this aid station, and the surprised, questioning looks of those who had no idea what was happening!
I slipped on my white running dress and grabbed my vows, while Long got ready. My sister officiated and our ceremony was held off to the side by the trailhead. We were surrounded by family and friends, who also happened to be our crew and pacers for the weekend. We exchanged vows, and I was first to go. I held my piece of paper with my word on it, and as soon, as I started to say them, the emotions flowed with them. I held back tears as I wanted to make sure my words were clear and easy to understand. Long said his and I felt so happy and loved. Then we exchanged rings, which surprisingly, mine fit! I was worried that they wouldn't be able to get on because of fat race fingers. Long's ring wouldn't slide on because he had swollen hands. We changed our our rings to the silicone ones, and sealed our vows with a kiss (this is the part where I wish I had taken 1-2 extra minutes to brush my teeth... sorry Long!). Marey made us "Just Married" signs and pinned them to our vests.
Remember the part when Susan showed up just in time for me hitting my low point? Well, there was a wedding photographer at the aid station we got married at who happened to be there with his camera! How awesome is that! He got great shots of our ceremony! Thanks Chad!!
Our watches died right before we got to Cramer Road, so I didn't have any indication of time or how long the ceremony took, which was a good thing, otherwise I probably would have been a rushed, anxious mess! After the ceremony was over, Long said we had to reevaluate us finishing the race. I think it was Bob who told us what time it was and the cutoff for Cramer Road Aid Station. Long was surprised at the time and said we had plenty of time! I was so happy and energized from the ceremony and filled with fire to not only be married but to finish this race! Marey and Jay kept up with us until Temperance where Bob and Kari were ready to jump in and let Marey and Jay off their shift. Along with Cramer Road, Temperance Aid Station hold a special place in my heart as this was the first aid station I picked up Kari at back in 2015. It felt so complete to have her and Bob there ready to run with us.
With my new found energy, I was climbing strong, running well, and felt pretty graceful on the downhills (until I would kick a rock or root and feel all my blisters ready to explode). Before leaving Temperance, I put of some desatin to help numb and take care of my hot, large blisters. It helped take the edge off of them as I felt like I had big water balloon feet. Sawbill, Oberg, and Lutsen!! We were doing so well as a team and getting so close to the finish. Our goals was to finish before sunset, but we knew that no matter what, we would get to the finish! Kari and Bob were great company, they paced so well and gave us endless laughs.
We were nearing close to Lutsen, down the hill, over the bridge, and the never ending road section to the finish line. Running on road, after spending countless miles on trail, felt weird! We rounded the corner by the lodges and were greeted by loud cheers from family, friends, and the trail community. We did it! We ran 103.3 miles together, and got married! Bill handed us our medals to give to each other, which felt extra special. We were given our belt buckles, and we were able to exchange hugs with our dear family and friends. Anu presented us with some tater tots, while he helped me get my shoes off. Marey asked me while we were pacing what sort of food I loved to have at the finish line and she remembered what I said! I LOVE tater tots as post race food. We are beyond blessed to have the friends that we do, who give up their weekends selflessly to pace, crew, and care for us.
We celebrated and it wasn't long before I took my slow, shivered walk to get my coveted hoodie and patches and Long got his third star! We were also greeted by Cheri and John Storkamp, the race directors, who gifted us the Cramer Road Aid Station Signs! What a sweet and thoughtful gift!
We soon drove back to our place to shower, eat, and for me, to lay on the bed with my feet up on the wall as the adrenaline was wearing off and the pain and swelling was settling in. After a shower/bath. I was ready to sleep.
The following morning we had our reception at the place we stayed at, again, surrounded by family and friends with food, drinks, games, and beautiful weather. We couldn't have asked for a better weekend and for the community that surrounds us.
Thank you Kari, Bob, Jess, Jay, Marey, and Anu. We love you all so much. To our parents, Jo, Brian, Hoa, thank you for tirelessly working before the wedding weekend and after to make everything possible.
To the Sage Family, My sister Olivia for the beautiful words and for officiating our wedding, and all the thoughtful touches to the reception decoration. Thank you for all you did! Joe, Jackson, and Roo from a distance!
To the RSR community, John and Cheri, what wonderful, selfless, and dedicated people that show up to make something like Fall Superior possible. What a wonderful weekend to push human limits while doing it with a handful of gummy bears.
I would also like to thank Performance Running Gym for the space to do strength training months leading up to the race, and for Mark for showing me how to do things that I didn't know how to do!
To the people at Trail Transformation, Jake and Rachel, thank you for your coaching and nutrition services!
To all other friends who helped out to make our weekend smooth and special, we love you all so much. Thank you for making not only our wedding special, but for making Superior what it is!
Oh, did I mention that we also got a special shout out from the one and only Jamil Coury from Mountain Outpost?! Check it out here! Pretty cool, thanks Mtn. Outpost fam!
Cheers and happy trails! You never know where they will take you.
September 2015. My dear friend Kari runs her first 100 mile race which she chose to be Superior 100. Working with her at the time, I saw her dedication and commitment not only to training but everything in her life. She gave everything her all in this new endeavor of her life. It was so inspiring that it got me to sign up for my first marathon. It was a "what next?" weekend after weekend, learning new things about nutrition, running, and myself. Thankfully, it was a shared journey where none of my learning experiences were uncommon, but completely normal and validated by her. September was drawing near and she was pulling together her crew and pacers. It worked out perfectly that she needed a pacer and I needed one last long run in on my training before TCM. I planned to pace her, and made the most out of my weekend by signing up to volunteer and journey up north for the first time solo. I was nervous and full of excitement to do something new. Tucked into the back of my mind was knowing I was potentially going to meet someone new that Kari had mentioned to me before Superior. She knew I had got out of a toxic relationship (funny how running helped me with and through it) and showed me pictures of Long and the videos he was making at the time. I thought that he was cute and the videos he made with his GoPro looked intense and fun! I got a lot of time to think driving up in my '96 lumina that sadly consumed a lot of my thoughts driving to and from up north (like if it could make the journey without dying on me). I safely made it up north and made a journey of it too, stopping at nostalgic stops that I would go to on family trips.
Since this was my first time volunteering at a Rocksteady race, but had some sense of what a RSR was like (I did the Afton 25k that year as a training run that year). I had a better sense of the community and loved that they housed the volunteers! I checked in to my assigned house and planned to sleep then head out in the p.m. to go to Cramer Road to work at the aid station for the overnight shift. Due to the nerves and excitement of the weekend, I didn't even get in a nap! I laid on the couch excited and nervous I would be late to my shift! I decided to head out earlier because I'd rather be early than late (always have been wired that way, anxious by nature!) I learned how to percolate coffee and make aid station soup, prepare food, etc. by the aid station captain. I got to have conversations with the people working there, and got to know some awesome people. I remember witnessing the front runners of the 100 cruise in, and one vivid memory of a runner curling up on the dirt next to the fire to take a very literal dirt nap for fifteen minutes. We even offered him blankets for a makeshift pillow and he was sound asleep. As soon as those fifteen minutes were up, he woke up a new person and headed back out on the trails as fast as he cruised into the aid station! I also vividly remember his anxious crew missing him by minutes, worried about him and wondering where he was. There are a lot of emotions not only from the runners, but from the crew and community that surrounds events like this.
There were a lot of emotions that happened that night, lots of cheers, questions from worried crew members asking if we had seen certain runners and questions about what hot food we had. I had never been surrounded by such a community like this before and while I didn't completely understand it, I felt the support and appreciation for everything. It was truly a magical event. The swirl of excitement started to die a little bit as the early hours of the morning approached. I remember one of the volunteers pointing up at the stars as we sit and stood around the fire and to mention the northern lights. They swirled above us and had never seen them in person so vividly before. After looking up for some time, I sat by the fire trying to stay awake. Simultaneously, a figure that had not been there before came into view. I stared at them for a minute or what seemed like minutes before my brain caught up with my eyes. It was a guy Kari had showed me who made the GoPro videos. While my brain and eyes were catching up with each other, he made his way towards me. I got up and we introduced ourselves. He had a camera in his hand and was taking pictures of the race. We made small awkward conversation in between me making coffee and soup for the runners. He took pictures of the events at the aid station, and while it was getting lighter out, he knew I had to get ready to pace. We parted ways after my shift was over and I made my way to temperance to get a good nap in before I had to pace. I pulled my car into the temperance river parking lot and instantly fell asleep. 20 minutes later I heard a tap on my window. It was Kari's mom Rhende telling me she was going to be at the aid station soon. Rhende was so helpful to help me get ready and made it an effortless transition from me sleeping with little time to get ready to me being fully ready to pace! I was so excited, tired, and nervous for my first pacing duty! Kari came in with Ken and he ended his pacing duties there as he had ran the while night section with her. I was ready to do my part and run with her to the finish! Having never run the SHT before, I was in for a little bit of surprise! I remember hiking up a bit, stopping to catch my breath and to cheer Kari on, giving her all the encouragement she needed because she was going to do this race and finish before sunset! She did all those things so well and with a smile on her face! What made the finish so special and so emotional was I had watched her first hand put in all the training and time while working. I had watched her during her peak week and how tired she must have felt that following week put in so much of her self into this goal. I was so proud of her (and still am!) Long showed up again and took pictures at the finish line. Afterwards I camped with her family at Temperance and slept in the tent with their adorable dog Amica, and had breakfast with them the following morning. I sadly had to part after breakfast to make it home in time for work the next day. Thankfully my car made it home (and at some points it didn't feel like it was going to) and I felt inspired and ready to complete my first marathon.
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| Kari finishes her first 100 at Superior. Photo Credit Long |
Fast forward a few weeks, Long and I had been talking since the race on and off, he took me out on dates, showed me local trails, and spectated my first marathon via bike. He also met my parents for the first time just weeks after us first meeting (since they were also at the marathon spectating) and we all went out for dinner after TCM.
Because of Superior and the excitement around that weekend, I knew that the marathon wasn't my stopping point. With two weeks out, I signed up for my first 50k and used the marathon as a training run. I also did a 1/2 marathon in between because Long was running Chicago marathon and I felt the need to make sure I was "still in shape" which I highly recommend NOT doing (overtrained is the key word here). I ran Surf the Murph and had never experienced that much pain but so much enjoyment before. Long paced me during that race as well, with a jovial finish and pizza afterwards to celebrate!
The ultra bug bit me! I was hooked, and since Long and I had been dating since before the marathon, he was a huge encouragement and motivator to keep pushing my running limits! We decided to both train for Zumbro 50 for the next year, and it was my first time running in the winter! I love how he makes everything an adventure. We spent a lot of time up north running and enjoying winter adventures. We had a lot of amazing training adventures together, and was so helpful and encouraging in all aspects of training and racing.
That same year was his big debut: Superior 100. 2016. He knew he wanted that to be his first 100 mile, and he knew he needed to give it the respect and training that course deserves! We spent a lot of time running the SHT together. It would be my first time crewing and pacing him, and we both learned a lot that race. One of the biggest takeaways is that we work well together when communication is there and when we are focused on the present.
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| Long's first 100 mile finish at Superior, it was truly magical. Photo Credit Joe Delano |
The next few years were full of adventures, learning, concerts, DNFing, learning the tough lessons, me meeting his mom, Hoa, for the first time as she visited, and learning more about each other and growing creatively as well with Fresh Tracks Media being our creative child we have, which also brought us more growth and opportunities!
We got our first dog, Bean, back in May of 2018. She is everything we could have hoped for and fits in so well with our little family. Even in the time she had her accident we were still strong and supported by our community that helped us through that very difficult time. This was a time that I was also going through returning back to running, and we both got to recover together.
December 2, 2018, Long proposed at the Bean and Bear lake overlook. An iconic spot along the Superior Hiking Trail and holds a lot of meaning to Long and I as this was our first trail run together. We celebrated and kept the announcement on the DL as my 100 mile race was the following weekend, and needed to focus on that (as hard as it was now thinking about the engagement and wedding planning!) While my 100 didn't go as planned, I knew that there were bigger fish to fry in regards to wedding planning.
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| First trip around the twin lakes! Photo Cred: Long |
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| Telling Bean what she is named after post-proposal! Photo Cred: Long |
I have grown up going to a lot of weddings. My mom comes from a family of six sisters including herself, and with her being the second youngest of the bunch, we have gone to a lot of cousin's weddings. The weddings were big and traditional, so that is what I was accustomed to. Long and I wanted to so something a little different, but had the idea that we would do a small ceremony and invite more people to a reception/party of sorts. We spent the winter hunting for venues, food, drinks, parking, etc. It all seemed to be stressful, which we assumed was part of the normal wedding planning process. Nothing was working, I was getting frustrated and feeling anxious. We finally talked about what we were doing and if it was going to make us happy. We sought advice from others, telling us that at the end of the day it was for us and it should make us happy, all of our choices for the event.
We had joked on and off about running Superior together or getting married at the place where our relationship was landmarked, but it wasn't a serious conversation until we both brought it up again. Everything about this decision felt right, it felt like us. Shortly after making the decision, we both emailed the race director asking if it was okay for safety purposes or if it would post any conflict of interest. We got the OK and also agreed to register as a team, since it was still a lottery process, that we would either both get in or not. We would still make a plan either way to get married at Cramer Road, racing or not. We both got in to the race and started to train and make plans for the wedding. We booked our place to stay, our pacers and crew, and let the summer hone in our training and communication.
Summer flew by so fast, but it gave us a lot of amazing opportunities to train, to learn about each other, and about ourselves. As September drew near, we were both ready, excited, and anxious. Doubled the dose of our normal pre-race nervousness because not only were we embarking on this race together, we were getting married! Maybe I am speaking for myself at this point... he's always so calm!
We took off to our Lutsen Getaway Wednesday evening after work. The place we were staying gave us all of Wednesday (an extra night) as our wedding present from them. The place was absolutely gorgeous. Long had wanted to stay there for quite some time. It had large picture windows, a private beach, and lots of land to host weddings and receptions.
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| The calm before the storm in the team sweatshirts I designed. Photo Cred: Long's Drone! |
Friday morning, at 4:00 a.m. was our wake up call to get ready for the race. We left the house around 6:00 as it took about an hour to get to the race start. Jess drove us and Kenai accompanied us. It was a beautiful drive with the sunrise and the cool morning.
We arrived at Gooseberry and it was time to hit the bathroom followed by greeting the trail family. Everything about Superior feels like family, the hugs, greeting each other by name, everything felt the way it should. We got our picture taken a lot that morning and got another surprise as my parents showed up!
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| Starting off as an engaged couple! Photo Cred. Amy Wasson (?) |
Soon we lined up for the race, surrounded by friends and family. 5-4-3-2-1- GO! We were off! I felt confident and ready as Long was a veteran of this course and I liked that he had a plan on how to handle this race. Easy on the first paved section, run the flats, downhills, and hike the uphills. Everything felt great, except my hip. I had been doing PT work for about a month on some problems I've been experiencing and the hip was the latest edition to my aches and pains I had been experiencing in this training cycle. One of the best things about ultra racing is that you may experience a new or old pain, but during the many miles it can sort itself out, and that's exactly what it did!
In and out of Aid Stations was Long's name of the game, no stalling, chatting, wasting time! Which, admittedly, I am a champion at. Split Rock Aid Station was a run down, grab-n-go, run back up flash!
"Are you the guy getting married this weekend?!" one guy said behind us.
"Yeah" Long responded.
"So is she running the marathon or something?" he questioned Long again.
"I'm right here" I said to the guy as I looked back and waved, frustrated a bit as I was thinking about what the guy might have thought about women probably not being able to run 100 miles, or being able to keep up. It also frustrated me because the guy wouldn't have thought that me, the woman wearing the exact same race vest as Long, let alone shoes, practically matching, couldn't have been his fiancee. I let it go as I don't like to hold on to many negative, frustrating thoughts.
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| Flying through Friday together! Photo Cred: Tone Coughlin Photography |
The miles flew by with Long, which I liked. He hit some low points, but for him, getting to a low point means he wants to grind it out, AKA run faster. I had a tough time keeping up with his low points, but we were able to get through them together. My low points were very different. I have a tougher time picking up my pace, eating and drinking, and admitting that I am at a low point (I get really stubborn and quiet... more quiet than my usual introverted self). Long, being the sweet guy he is, tried everything in his power to pull me out. At this time, the trail angels knew something was up, because we were running behind the world renowned Susan Donnelley. We exchanged light conversation, well, Long and Susan did, I was still quiet and stubborn. In the midst of our conversation, Long said something that would change my whole mindset for the remainder of the race.
"Susan, what advice would you give someone who is in a low point?" He said.
"Who is experiencing a low point? You?" She asked him.
"No, it's for my fiance." He said.
Talk about getting snapped out of whatever thing I was feeling! He put me on the spot with someone I have been intimidated and inspired by ever since I heard about Susan. I was so nervous about what she would think about me, how she could pick me apart and hopefully, pull me out of whatever funk I was in. She agreed to help me out because it was our wedding. She pulled out her phone and started giving us advice, telling us about herself, and letting us know that most people experience low points at mile 30 and 60 during 100 mile races. Here we were around mile 30 getting advice from Susan. She gave us such great advice that it left me feeling inspired, new, and even though Long wasn't in a low point, he felt the same. We ran strong and new with our new mentality as we thanked Susan and ran into Tettegouche aid station. Susan, if you ever read this, thank you for pulling us, especially me, out of that low point. You are an immense inspiration to not only myself but for this whole community. You make a difference, which I know from talking to you, is one of your passions in life.
Running with a new found mentality made running into the evening that much better. I kept telling Long how much I love running in the evening and at night. It would be cooler, and we would be running with our friends, having laughs and conversations. I love when our pacers tell stories to pass the time and to make the miles fly by.
Soon we were at County Road 6, we gathered some layers, food, and light sources to head into Finland where our pacers were waiting. I was so excited to run with Jess, who recently moved back home after living for years away from her husband and puppy children. We arrived at Finland, and I was struggling with my nausea and feeling 100%. I knew that I had to keep eating until I couldn't, and even at that point, I knew I would still have to eat. Before we got a photo of our pacers and us together, Long told me to eat one of my smoothie pouches to get some calories in me. I opened the cap and with one gulp it was ready to come back up. I held it down and a picture was taken. I probably looked green in that one!
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| The night shift crew at Finland! (not sure who actually took this photo... Hoa?) |
We headed into the night, still feeling fresh and able to run, but knew it would start to be slow going. Jess, sadly had to end her pacing duties early because of her foot/ankle, which we had planned for in advance. Marey, my other pacer, was ready to go. We picked her up and Jess was able to rest and take care of her injury. Off into the night we went. I was starting to fall asleep while running, which was the first time I had started to experience something like that. I remember telling Long and the pacers what I was experiencing and I needed coffee ASAP at the next aid station. I think it was at Crosby that Brain was there volunteering and he made a Facebook post about the kind of food he would have there, some sort of rice savory option, and that the password to get one was 'twitching'. I remember sipping some coffee and seeing him, and instantly started saying "twitching!!" Thanks Brain for the delicious food, it save me in that section, especially after I threw up on a bridge at night which, surprisingly afterward, I felt like a new person with more energy!
The sun started to rise on Saturday, it hit me that soon we were going to be married! Sugarloaf, then marriage! We had Marey and Jay with us as pacers, who got a long so well and made us laugh all the way until Cramer Road. Marey even made me a bouquet of flowers and beautiful fall leaves along the way and tied to together with her blue bracelet for something blue and something used.
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| The bouquet! Thanks Marey! (Photo credit Chad Richardson, who happened to be there AT Cramer Road AND he's a professional wedding photographer!) |
We were feet away from Cramer. We ran in together and the noise escalated as we drew near. Cow bells rang loud followed be the cheers of family and friends, and those who knew what was happening at this aid station, and the surprised, questioning looks of those who had no idea what was happening!
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| Getting ready before the ceremony! |
I slipped on my white running dress and grabbed my vows, while Long got ready. My sister officiated and our ceremony was held off to the side by the trailhead. We were surrounded by family and friends, who also happened to be our crew and pacers for the weekend. We exchanged vows, and I was first to go. I held my piece of paper with my word on it, and as soon, as I started to say them, the emotions flowed with them. I held back tears as I wanted to make sure my words were clear and easy to understand. Long said his and I felt so happy and loved. Then we exchanged rings, which surprisingly, mine fit! I was worried that they wouldn't be able to get on because of fat race fingers. Long's ring wouldn't slide on because he had swollen hands. We changed our our rings to the silicone ones, and sealed our vows with a kiss (this is the part where I wish I had taken 1-2 extra minutes to brush my teeth... sorry Long!). Marey made us "Just Married" signs and pinned them to our vests.
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| Just married! |
Remember the part when Susan showed up just in time for me hitting my low point? Well, there was a wedding photographer at the aid station we got married at who happened to be there with his camera! How awesome is that! He got great shots of our ceremony! Thanks Chad!!
Our watches died right before we got to Cramer Road, so I didn't have any indication of time or how long the ceremony took, which was a good thing, otherwise I probably would have been a rushed, anxious mess! After the ceremony was over, Long said we had to reevaluate us finishing the race. I think it was Bob who told us what time it was and the cutoff for Cramer Road Aid Station. Long was surprised at the time and said we had plenty of time! I was so happy and energized from the ceremony and filled with fire to not only be married but to finish this race! Marey and Jay kept up with us until Temperance where Bob and Kari were ready to jump in and let Marey and Jay off their shift. Along with Cramer Road, Temperance Aid Station hold a special place in my heart as this was the first aid station I picked up Kari at back in 2015. It felt so complete to have her and Bob there ready to run with us.
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| No sleep till Lutsen! With Kari, myself, Long, and Bob! |
With my new found energy, I was climbing strong, running well, and felt pretty graceful on the downhills (until I would kick a rock or root and feel all my blisters ready to explode). Before leaving Temperance, I put of some desatin to help numb and take care of my hot, large blisters. It helped take the edge off of them as I felt like I had big water balloon feet. Sawbill, Oberg, and Lutsen!! We were doing so well as a team and getting so close to the finish. Our goals was to finish before sunset, but we knew that no matter what, we would get to the finish! Kari and Bob were great company, they paced so well and gave us endless laughs.
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| Uphill climbing and getting closet to Lutsen! (Photo Cred: Kari) |
We were nearing close to Lutsen, down the hill, over the bridge, and the never ending road section to the finish line. Running on road, after spending countless miles on trail, felt weird! We rounded the corner by the lodges and were greeted by loud cheers from family, friends, and the trail community. We did it! We ran 103.3 miles together, and got married! Bill handed us our medals to give to each other, which felt extra special. We were given our belt buckles, and we were able to exchange hugs with our dear family and friends. Anu presented us with some tater tots, while he helped me get my shoes off. Marey asked me while we were pacing what sort of food I loved to have at the finish line and she remembered what I said! I LOVE tater tots as post race food. We are beyond blessed to have the friends that we do, who give up their weekends selflessly to pace, crew, and care for us.
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| Newley married 100 mile finishes! (photo cred. My mom!) |
We celebrated and it wasn't long before I took my slow, shivered walk to get my coveted hoodie and patches and Long got his third star! We were also greeted by Cheri and John Storkamp, the race directors, who gifted us the Cramer Road Aid Station Signs! What a sweet and thoughtful gift!
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| Me never taking my fresh hoodie off (photo cred. Long) |
We soon drove back to our place to shower, eat, and for me, to lay on the bed with my feet up on the wall as the adrenaline was wearing off and the pain and swelling was settling in. After a shower/bath. I was ready to sleep.
The following morning we had our reception at the place we stayed at, again, surrounded by family and friends with food, drinks, games, and beautiful weather. We couldn't have asked for a better weekend and for the community that surrounds us.
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| One of my favorite reception shots out on the beach. (photo cred. My mom!) |
Thank you Kari, Bob, Jess, Jay, Marey, and Anu. We love you all so much. To our parents, Jo, Brian, Hoa, thank you for tirelessly working before the wedding weekend and after to make everything possible.
To the Sage Family, My sister Olivia for the beautiful words and for officiating our wedding, and all the thoughtful touches to the reception decoration. Thank you for all you did! Joe, Jackson, and Roo from a distance!
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| Can we talk about how cute they decorated the shed?! IT was amazing!! |
To the RSR community, John and Cheri, what wonderful, selfless, and dedicated people that show up to make something like Fall Superior possible. What a wonderful weekend to push human limits while doing it with a handful of gummy bears.
I would also like to thank Performance Running Gym for the space to do strength training months leading up to the race, and for Mark for showing me how to do things that I didn't know how to do!
To the people at Trail Transformation, Jake and Rachel, thank you for your coaching and nutrition services!
To all other friends who helped out to make our weekend smooth and special, we love you all so much. Thank you for making not only our wedding special, but for making Superior what it is!
Oh, did I mention that we also got a special shout out from the one and only Jamil Coury from Mountain Outpost?! Check it out here! Pretty cool, thanks Mtn. Outpost fam!
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| Screen grab from the episode! woot woot! #goals
In ending, we are both pretty happy newly weds, ready to take on more adventures together, with the love and support of our family, friends, and trail running community. Thank you for allowing this amazing weekend to be what it is. Thank you for being there, for being part of it, for building it up over the years, and without all of you, a special weekend like this wouldn't even be possible.
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Cheers and happy trails! You never know where they will take you.
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